This invention relates, generally, to spindle mounted bearings and, more particularly, to adjustment of an adjustable spacer placed between such bearings mounted on a spindle, axle, shaft, or the like, as well as adjustment of a gage part and employment of the gage part for adjustment of the spacer.
Anti-friction bearings may serve to decrease friction between, for example, a stator and a rotor. For instance, such bearings may allow relative rotation between a housing and a spindle extending through the housing. The housing may comprise, for example, a hub. The spindle may comprise a shaft, axle, or the like. The bearings may comprise roller bearings, for example, tapered roller bearings. In one example, the tapered roller bearings may be employed in wheel hub and axle assemblies. In another example, the tapered roller bearings may be employed in devices such as motors, pumps, or speed reducers.
A typical tapered roller bearing may include a cone having an inner race for mounting on a spindle, a cup having an outer race for mounting in a housing, and a plurality of roller elements within a roller cage positioned between the inner and outer races. Commonly, a pair of such tapered roller bearings may be mounted on a spindle for rotation relative to or within a housing. Cooperating bearings, such as a pair of tapered roller bearings, may be included in a bearing assembly, for instance, of a motor, pump, speed reducer, or transmission assembly. In one example of xe2x80x9cdirect mountingxe2x80x9d of the tapered roller bearings, the cups may be located in the bearing assembly axially outward relative to the cones. With exemplary xe2x80x9cindirect mountingxe2x80x9d of the tapered roller bearings, the cups may be located in the bearing assembly axially inward relative to the cones, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.
In order to properly secure bearings for operation, it is usually necessary to retain the bearings tightly under a predetermined axial tolerance or load on the spindle, for example, so that the bearings can maintain a proper running clearance of the roller elements under the influence of the combined axial and radial forces which the bearings are designed to support. Manufacturers of such assemblies often carefully measure the space between the bearing inner races, and provide a spacer of precisely the correct dimension and load requirements to fit therebetween. The spacer is typically made of ground steel tubing to a length tolerance of plus or minus one half of one thousandths of an inch. If the bearings are not maintained at a proper tolerance and/or load the bearings may not roll properly or may prematurely wear, particularly if the bearings are maintained at too high of a load, or may, if maintained under too low of a load, have excessive play causing failure of the bearings.
An exemplary configuration for an adjustable spacer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,397 to John E. Rode (entitled xe2x80x9cAdapter Sleeve and an Adjustable Spacer with Radial Extension Useable Thereon,xe2x80x9d issued Aug. 27, 1996, and assigned to Temper Corporation), which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In one embodiment, such an adjustable spacer may be of a type shaped as a ring for mounting between a pair of tapered bearings mounted on an axle or spindle to allow a load to be axially placed on the bearings. The adjustable spacer may include an extension located at a radius from an imaginary axis of the spacer, a contact means oriented radially outward from the extension, and a compressible area located between the contact means and the extension wherein the compressible area deforms when a predetermined load is applied to the ring in the axial direction. The adjustable spacer may be configured to be used with an adapter sleeve for use on axles or spindles of multiple radii.
In a further example, a deformable portion of such an adjustable spacer may be formed so that the spacer can be compressed axially and react with a generally constant force as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,585 to John E. Rode (entitled xe2x80x9cDeformable Metallic Element,xe2x80x9d issued Jan. 10, 1978, and assigned to Temper Corporation), which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In addition, an illustrative configuration for a bearing assembly adjustment gaging system is disclosed in the above-incorporated application Ser. No. 09/130,166. In one example, such an adjustment system may include a first gage part adjustably engaged (e.g., mated and/or threaded) with a second gage part. The gage parts may be employed in a (e.g., pressing) process of direct installation of bearings such as tapered roller bearings on a final assembly spindle as in a motor, pump and/or speed reducer shaft. Also, one or more of the gage parts may be employed in providing adjustments (e.g., a preload and/or an endplay setting) for an adjustable spacer during the same process of direct installation of the bearings. The gage parts may have various interfaces with the bearings, retainers, and/or housing portions, rotationally supported with respect to the spindle with the bearings. Further, the gage parts may serve to protect the bearings from paths of compression employed in the adjustments.
One technique for accomplishing such adjustment to the spacer by crushing the bearings together, sometimes using the gage parts, employs a mechanical press. The bearing assembly can usually be deemed to be correctly adjusted when a relatively light rolling drag force is detected to be present in the bearings, at which point it is typically important to stop further compression of the spacer before a relatively heavier rolling drag occurs.
For instance, the mechanical press may utilize a screw which is slowly driven to bring the plates or platens together under operator control. Such screw driven presses are usually larger and much more expensive than a hydraulic press of comparable capacity. However, a hydraulic press commonly has less accuracy and consistency of bearing adjustment than the screw driven press.
Thus, a need exists for improving ease, accuracy, performance, repeatability and/or control of adjustment to an adjustable spacer of a bearing assembly. A need also exists for decreasing the degree of operator judgment and/or skill required (e.g., by introducing automation and/or indicators, such as for mass production situations and/or arrangements) to properly adjust the spacer. An additional need exists for decreasing dimensional measurements required to properly prepare a bearing assembly and/or a spacer thereof. Another need exists for the adjustable spacer to allow a desired adjustment to be provided for the bearing assembly.
Pursuant to the present invention, shortcomings of the existing art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of bearing assembly adjustable spacer and gage part adjustment.
In one aspect of the invention, a bearing assembly adjustable spacer adjustment system includes a hydraulic force application member and a force transmission member. The hydraulic force application member is abuttable with a retainer receivable by a bearing portion of a bearing assembly. The bearing assembly includes an adjustable spacer. The bearing assembly is supported with a base. The force transmission member is abuttable with the retainer. A first movement of the hydraulic force application member, toward the base and by an operation of the hydraulic force application member when the hydraulic force application member abuts the retainer and when the retainer is received by the bearing portion, causes a first stage of a desired adjustment to be provided to the adjustable spacer. A second movement of the force transmission member, toward the base and by a threaded rotation of the force transmission member when the force transmission member abuts the retainer and when the retainer is received by the bearing portion, causes a second stage of the desired adjustment to be provided to the adjustable spacer.
The force transmission member can include a first threaded portion. The system can further include an interconnector having a second threaded portion engaged with the first threaded portion of the force transmission member. The interconnector can be fixedly connected with the base and/or a portion of the hydraulic force application member.
The force transmission member can include an elongate member connected with an arm portion extending transversely relative to the elongate member. The arm portion can be configured to be operated to rotate the elongate member in driving the rotation of the force transmission member. The hydraulic force application member can include a hydraulic sleeve having a passage therethrough. The force transmission member can include an elongate member having a portion located in the passage.
The base can support a stem. A section of the stem can receive a second bearing portion of the bearing assembly. The base can include a surface portion having a recess receiving a second section of the stem. The hydraulic force application member can be operatively arranged effectively substantially in parallel with the force transmission member.
A housing portion of a housing can be rotatable on a second bearing portion of the bearing assembly contemporaneously with a portion of the second movement of the force transmission member. The adjustment can include a preload, an adjustment to an axial dimension of the spacer, and/or a compression.
The system can further include a flow regulator in fluid communication with the hydraulic force application member. The flow regulator can be configured to substantially limit force, provided to the spacer by the operation of the hydraulic force application member, to a level less than required, without the second movement of the force transmission member, to cause the providing of the second stage of the adjustment to the spacer.
The system can further include a gage part locatable between the bearing portion and the spacer. The first movement of the hydraulic force application member and the second movement of the force transmission member, when the retainer is received by the bearing portion and when the gage part is located between the bearing portion and the spacer, can cause force to be transmitted through the gage part in the providing of the first and second stages of the adjustment to the spacer.
The system can further include a first gage part, a second gage part, and a second force application member. The first gage part can include a first gage section, a second gage section, and a first surface portion located between the first gage section and the second gage section. The first gage section of the first gage part can receive a first bearing part coupled with the bearing portion. The second gage part can include a third gage section and a fourth gage section. The third gage section of the second gage part can abut the bearing portion. The fourth gage section of the second gage part can abut the spacer. The second force application member can include a second surface portion. The second movement of the force transmission member, in a first direction toward the base and when the force transmission member abuts the retainer, contemporaneous with a second operation of the second force application member, in a second direction generally opposite the first direction and with the second surface portion abutting the first surface portion generally in the second direction, can cause a gap, between the second section of the first gage part and a second bearing part supported with said base, until a completion of the providing of the second stage of the adjustment to the spacer.
The system can further include a drive element. The drive element can be coupled with a housing rotatable on a second bearing portion of the bearing assembly. The housing can abut the second bearing part. The drive element can include a portion configured to slip at an increase in drag torque of the housing resulting from a closure of the gap between the second section of the first gage part and the second bearing part. The system can further include a rotation observation unit. The rotation observation unit can be coupled with the housing and configured to provide an indication after sensing a decrease in frequency of rotation of the housing.
The invention also contemplates a bearing assembly adjustable spacer adjustment method. A hydraulic force application member is hydraulically moved toward a base and against a retainer. The base supports a bearing assembly. The retainer is received by a portion of the bearing assembly. The hydraulic movement of the hydraulic force application member causes a first stage of a desired adjustment to be provided to an adjustable spacer of the bearing assembly. A force transmission member is threadingly moved toward the base and against the retainer to cause a second stage of the desired adjustment to be provided to the adjustable spacer.
The movement of the force transmission member can be halted upon a completion of the providing of the second stage of the adjustment to the spacer. The completion of the providing of the second stage of the adjustment can be indicated by a sensed increase in drag torque of a housing rotatably connected with a second portion of the bearing assembly.
In another aspect, a bearing assembly adjustment system includes a first gage part and a second gage part. The first gage part includes a first gage section, a second gage section, and a first surface portion located therebetween. The first gage section receives a first bearing part coupled with a bearing portion of a bearing of a bearing assembly. The bearing portion of the bearing receives a retainer abuttable with a first force application member. The bearing assembly includes an adjustable spacer. The bearing assembly is supported with a base. The second gage part includes a third gage section and a fourth gage section. The third gage section abuts the bearing portion of the bearing. The fourth gage section abuts the adjustable spacer. The system further includes a second force application member having a second surface portion. A first operation of the first force application member, in a first direction toward the base and when the first force application member abuts the retainer, contemporaneous with a second operation of the second force application member, in a second direction generally opposite the first direction and with the second surface portion of the second force application member abutting the first surface portion of the first gage part generally in the second direction, causes a gap, between the second section of the first gage part and a second bearing part supported with the base, until a desired compression is provided to the adjustable spacer.
The compression can include a preload of the spacer and/or an adjustment to an axial dimension of the spacer. The coupling of the first bearing part with the bearing portion of the bearing can include a rotatable connection of the first bearing part with the bearing portion.
The first operation of the first force application member contemporaneous with the second operation of the second force application member, upon a completion of the providing of the compression to the spacer, can cause the second section of the first gage part to abut the second bearing part. The abutting of the second surface portion of the second force application member with the first surface portion of the first gage part can substantially prevent rotation, contemporaneous with this abutting, of the first gage part relative to an axis of the first gage part.
The bearing portion of the bearing and the second bearing part can comprise the bearing of the bearing assembly. The bearing portion of the bearing and the first bearing part can comprise the bearing of the bearing assembly. The second surface portion of the second force application member can comprise a flange portion of the second force application member. The first surface portion of the first gage part can comprise a flange portion of the first gage part.
The third gage section of the second gage part can include a shoulder portion that receives the bearing portion of the bearing of the bearing assembly. The second force application member can include a drive unit, an elongate member, a plate, a resilient member, and a stop. The drive unit can be operatively connected with the elongate member. The plate can include the second surface portion and a plate part having a passage therethrough. A portion of the elongate member can be located in the passage. The stop can be connected with the elongate member. The resilient member can be located between the plate and the stop, and the resilient member can be in abutment with the plate and/or the stop.
The spacer can abut a second bearing portion of a second bearing of the bearing assembly. The second bearing portion of the second bearing can be received by a stem supported with the base. The second bearing portion can be rotatably connected with a third bearing portion of the second bearing. The third bearing portion can receive a first housing portion of a housing. The second bearing part can be received by a second housing portion of the housing. The housing can be, contemporaneously with the first operation of the first force application member and/or contemporaneously with the second operation of the second force application member, rotatable, in the gap and on the second bearing, until a completion of the providing of the compression to the spacer. The system can further include a rotation sensing unit operatively coupled with the housing.
The system can further include a drive element drivingly coupled with the housing. The drive element can include a portion configured to slip at an increase in drag torque of the housing resulting from a closure of the gap between the second section of the first gage part and the second bearing part. The increase in drag torque can correspond to a completion of the providing of the compression to the spacer. The system can further include a rotation observation unit coupled with the housing. The rotation observation unit can be configured to provide an indication after sensing a decrease in rotation frequency of a housing. The indication provided by the rotation observation unit can be employed to terminate the first operation of the first force application member. The rotation observation unit can be configured to generate a signal to control a portion of the first force application member. The first operation of the first force application member can include a threaded rotation and/or a hydraulic movement of a portion of the first force application member.
The invention further contemplates a bearing assembly gage part adjustment method. A first endplay of a bearing assembly is determined. The bearing assembly includes an adjustable spacer. A second endplay of the bearing assembly is determined when a gage part is located in the bearing assembly. An axial dimension of the gage part is adjusted based on a difference between the second endplay and the first endplay.
The difference between the second endplay and the first endplay can comprise a first difference. The adjusting of the axial dimension of the gage part can be further based on a second difference between the first difference and a springback characteristic of the spacer. The adjusting of the axial dimension can be still further based on a third difference between the second difference and a preload specified for the spacer. In addition, the adjusting of the axial dimension of the gage part can be further based on a sum of the second or third difference and an assembly compression specified for the spacer.
The adjusting of the axial dimension of the gage part can be further based on a second difference between the first difference and a preload specified for the spacer. Also, the adjusting of the axial dimension of the spacer can be still further based on a sum of the second difference and an assembly compression specified for the spacer.
The adjusting of the axial dimension of the gage part can be further based on a sum of the difference between the second endplay and the first endplay and an assembly compression specified for the spacer. The adjusting of the axial dimension of the gage part can comprise a decreasing of the axial dimension of the gage part.
In a combination of the method with a bearing assembly adjustable spacer adjustment method, the adjusted axial dimension of the gage part can be employed in providing a desired adjustment to the adjustable spacer.
Thus, the present invention advantageously provides a system that improves accuracy, assembly, efficiency, support performance, and/or effectiveness of an adjustable spacer of a bearing assembly. The invention also increases the repeatability, ease, accuracy, consistency, quality, and/or controllability of adjustment and/or force application to the spacer. Further, the present invention decreases skill, attention, judgment, and/or sophistication required of an operator in providing the adjustment to the spacer. In addition, the invention improves ease, efficiency, and/or accuracy of adjustment to a gage part usable in adjusting the spacer.